Belle Isle Park Improvement

Architect Olmstead* paid another visit to Belle Isle Park yesterday and made a thorough examination of the grounds. He expressed himself as being more favorably impressed with the island than on the previous days’ visits, and thinks it can be improved in a manner agreeable to the board and citizens at large. He will make a written report to the board of his ideas in this connection, stating the probable expense required to make the improvements. The board have not yet submitted their estimates to the Controller, and will defer action until Mr. Olmstead submits his figures. It is proposed, a month other things, to lay out several inland lakes on the island and to locate a boulevard for driving purposes. The candidates for the position of Superintendent are daily growing more numerous. The board has received applications for the position from all parts of the State.

From The Detroit Free Press, 25 February 1882

*Frederick Law Olmsted was hired to design Belle Isle as Detroit’s premier park. Known as the father of American landscape architecture, Olmsted was responsible for designing New York City’s Central Park in 1857. A few other notable parks to his credit are: Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Emerald Necklace in Boston, and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.